Since 2019, On the Same Page Boston has helped usher books into the hands of Boston Public Schools students. The magic behind the operation is entirely the work of Emerson College students to make a positive impact on their local community. A study published in The School Librarian found that in states across the country, access to a school library and librarian leads to better test scores among students. Reading from a young age helps with cognitive development, language learning skills, and enhances creativity.
One thing is for sure: Books have undoubtedly helped these Emerson college students achieve success.
I talked to some of the members of our campaign team and asked them if they could recall a specific book they read growing up that taught them something they didn’t know or changed their perspective on something. This is what they had say:
A classic children’s book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is Lilly Sigersmith’s pick. Lilley is a communication studies major and member of the collateral team. “She gives and gives and gives, never expecting anything in return, never asking for her due, never reminding the boy of all she has sacrificed,” Lilley said. A quote from the beloved book: “And she loved a boy very much, very much–even more than she loved herself.” Lilley said this reminds her that it’s important to keep yourself in mind when you’re giving a lot to others.
Declan Bretz, our other blog writer and a sports communication major, said he adored the Magic Tree House Merlin Missions. “Problems make us focus our energy, they can help us think more sharply and act more swiftly. Never wish for your problems to disappear. Problems can help you achieve your goals.” -Merlin the Magician, Magic Tree House Merlin Missions
Afton Myers, a member of the Facebook team and business of creative enterprises major, loved the Black Lagoon series. She said it taught her that “rumors can be scary and vicious, don’t believe everything you’re told until you see it for yourself.”
Andy Ambrose, a member of the TikTok team and communication studies major, said the book Wildwood by Colin Meloy changed their life. “My fourth grade teacher read this book to our class and it got me hooked on reading for the first time ever,” Andy said. “Our class was incredibly angry when we didn’t have enough time to read the second book before the school year finished.”
“You can only love what you got while you got it. You can’t always judge people by the things they done. You got to judge them by what they are doing now. You can always trust a dog that likes peanut butter.” -Because of Winn Dixie, a favorite book of student Jocelyn Avila-frias. Jocelyn is on the website team and majors in communication arts.
Sanford Bruce, who is a political communication major and a member of the Instagram team said his two favorite childhood books are the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman and Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs. “These two books have caused me to fall in love with reading and changed my perspective on the way that I want to live my life. My dad gave me Peaceful Warrior and I immediately fell in love with it,” Sanford said. "Crossing the Wire is the first book that caused me to form an emotional attachment to a book, one where I felt as if I was on the journey with the character, cheering them on. Both books have been transformative for me as a reader and as a person.”
Hayley Tao is a public relations major and member of the marketing team. The Joy Luck Club struck her as a children’s book that made an impact on her. “The book describes the generation gap and estrangement conflict between the four mother and daughter pairs. It reflects the collision and compatibility between cultures and the difficult search for the cultural identity,” Hayley said. “That was the first time I got to understand the influence of experiencing different cultures, and started to reflect on the topic of identity.”
Isabelle Montez is on the marketing team and majoring in communication studies. She loves Dork Diaries. “The books were fun, yet addressed real issues such as bullying, struggling with class work and dealing with family life as well.” Isabelle said. “As a young girl, seeing a character face the same issues and try to navigate those struggles made it seem less isolating and more supportive of trying to solve the problems of middle school!”
Written By: Stephanie Trendell
Sources:
Barrett, Lynn. "Effective School Libraries: Evidence of Impact on Student Achievement." The School Librarian, vol. 58, no. 3, 2010, pp. 136-139. ProQuest, https://proxy.emerson.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/effective-school-libraries-evidence-impact-on/docview/805469819/se-2.
Comments